Communication system and communication apparatus building the system

ABSTRACT

Facsimile image data received from a normal facsimile apparatus connected to a general telephone network can be transmitted as an e-mail to the e-mail address of a computer network such as a LAN or the like designated by the source facsimile apparatus. An apparatus has a LAN I/F ( 6 - 14 ) for connecting to the LAN, and a line I/F ( 6 - 6 ) for connecting to the public telephone network. Upon reception of a remote instruction from the public telephone network, a CPU ( 6 - 3 ) converts received facsimile image data into e-mail data, and transmits the converted e-mail data to the e-mail address designated by the received remote instruction.

This is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/623,687 filedJul. 22, 2003 which is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No.09/123,145 filed Jul. 27, 1998, which are incorporated herein in theirentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a communication system which canexchange information between electronic information media such as e-mailmedia and the like, and facsimile media.

Recently, in addition to information exchange means such as facsimile,telephone, and the like via the telephone network, information retrievalof electronic information such as e-mails and the like via the Internethas prevailed. Paying attention to e-mails, not only characterinformation but also various other data formats such as image data,audio data, computer data, and the like can be exchanged. Each e-mailuser has his or her own postoffice (or a mailbox (P.B.O)) in an e-mailserver equipped in a given company. E-mails sent to the individual usersare temporarily stored in their postoffices. After that, these e-mailsare received by e-mail client software installed in a personal computer(to be referred to as a PC hereinafter) or the like in an office, whichis connected to the e-mail server via a LAN or the Internet, or directlyto the telephone network.

Furthermore, a communication apparatus or facsimile server apparatuscalled “Internet FAX” that combines the facsimile apparatus and e-mailfunction has become available.

The Internet FAX apparatus is principally used as an equipment called anetwork scanner for capturing read image data into a computer. TheInternet FAX apparatus has a function of converting image data capturedby reading an original into an e-mail data format, and transmitting thatdata to a desired e-mail address designated by the transmitting side.This service is called an Internet FAX mail transmission service.

On the other hand, as for a function of receiving facsimile image databy the Internet FAX apparatus or facsimile server apparatus, thereceived image data cannot be transmitted to the e-mail addressdesignated by the transmitting facsimile apparatus. For example, thefollowing system is already available. That is, facsimile serverapparatuses introduced in a given enterprise are connected to each othervia an intranet, and a certain server receives facsimile data, whichcontains a telephone number (to be referred to as a secondary telephonenumber hereinafter) of the final destination facsimile apparatus. Thatserver selects another server, which can make the communication chargelowest, by looking up a telephone charge table based on the secondarytelephone number, and telephone numbers of local servers.

In the above-mentioned prior art, the Internet FAX apparatus candesignate an e-mail address. However, in the Internet FAX secondaryrelaying service, a normal facsimile apparatus (a normal G3 facsimileapparatus) that facsimile-transmits data to the primary relayingInternet FAX apparatus cannot designate the e-mail address of thesecondary relaying side. For example, the normal facsimile apparatuscannot post the received data to a user's e-mail postoffice (mailbox)via the Internet FAX apparatus, or cannot manually select the InternetFAX apparatus serving as the secondary relaying station using theInternet FAX secondary relaying service. This is because the e-mailaddress is described using alphanumeric letters, but a normal facsimileapparatus that complies with the existing ITU-T T.30 recommendationcannot directly transmit code data of a character string such asalphabets to the destination facsimile apparatus. Note that code data ofa character string can be sent in an own company mode (own mode) using anon-standard protocol (NSF/NSS) of the T.30 recommendation, butfacsimile apparatuses with which the server can communicate are limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a communicationsystem and a communication apparatus building the system, which cantransfer facsimile-received image data received from a public network tothe e-mail address of a computer network designated by the operator atthe source facsimile apparatus, and can transfer facsimile image datareceived from a facsimile apparatus connected to the public network tothe e-mail address of the computer network as e-mail data.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a communicationsystem and a communication apparatus building the system, which canassure security of the system by setting password information.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide acommunication system and a communication apparatus building the system,which allow an apparatus connected to the public network to transmittransfer destination information, password information, or the like ofan e-mail as numerical information, and require neither a complicatedarrangement nor a special arrangement different from a normal facsimileapparatus.

According to the present invention, a communication apparatus comprisesmeans for connecting a computer network such as a local area network,Internet, and the like, means for connecting to a public telephonenetwork, facsimile reception means for receiving facsimile image datavia the public telephone network, means for receiving transferdestination information of e-mail data from the public telephonenetwork, conversion means for converting the received facsimile imagedata into an e-mail data format, and transmission means for designatingan e-mail destination of the computer network on the basis of thereceived transfer destination information, and transmitting the e-maildata converted by the conversion means to the designated destination.

The apparatus also comprises destination designation means fordesignating the e-mail destination of the computer network on the basisof the received transfer destination information, and postofficedesignation means for designating a desired postoffice in an e-mailserver of the computer network.

The transfer destination information and password information arereceived from the public telephone network, it is checked if e-mailtransfer destination information corresponding to the transferdestination information is set in advance and if the received passwordinformation matches password information set in advance, and theconverted e-mail data is transmitted in accordance with the checkingresults.

The apparatus also comprises storage means for registering in advancee-mail address information of the e-mail destination in correspondencewith numeral information, and the transfer destination information isreceived as numeral information, and the address information of thee-mail destination corresponding to the received numeral information isread out from the storage means to designate the e-mail destination.

The password information is received as numeral information.

The transfer destination information is received by a DTMF signal.

Whether the public telephone network is released or facsimile receptionvia the public telephone network is started can be selected when thetransfer destination information and a signal related to a facsimilecommunication are not received within a prescribed time for monitoringsignal reception from the public telephone network after call receptionfrom the public telephone network.

The transfer destination information is received by a protocol signal(subaddress signal or selective polling signal of the T.30recommendation) of a facsimile communication protocol.

The password information is received by a protocol signal (passwordsignal of the T.30 recommendation) of a facsimile communicationprotocol.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate thesame or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the connection pattern between the e-mailfacsimile apparatus and network;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the communication sequence andcommunication processing by an e-mail facsimile apparatus according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows the sequence of the communication protocol between ane-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 and e-mail server 1-2 of the embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows management data;

FIG. 5 shows an example of the format of e-mail data;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an e-mail facsimileapparatus; and

FIG. 7 shows the directory structure in an auxiliary storage device inthe e-mail server 1-2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described indetail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the embodiment to be described hereinafter, a facsimile apparatus(e-mail facsimile apparatus) having an e-mail/facsimile conversionfunction will be exemplified as a communication apparatus.

FIG. 1 shows an example of connections between the e-mail facsimileapparatus of this embodiment and the network.

E-mail clients 1-1 and 1-6, and an e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 ofthis embodiment are connected to a local area network (LAN) 1-5 (e.g.,domain name “ccc.dd.ee“), and are assigned postoffices with a directorystructure shown in FIG. 7 in an auxiliary storage device of an e-mailserver 1-2. The mail accounts (postoffice names in this embodiment) ofthese clients and apparatus are respectively “username1”, “fff”, and“mail_fax_machine”. The e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 of thisembodiment has a facsimile communication function in addition to atransmission/reception function of e-mails, and is connected to a publictelephone network (PSTN) or ISDN 1-10. The apparatus 1-8 canfacsimile-communicate with a general remote facsimile apparatus 1-11connected to the public telephone network.

Furthermore, the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 of this embodiment isconnected to an Internet/intranet 1-13 via a remote router 1-12, and canexchange e-mails with the above-mentioned terminals on the LAN 1-5, andan Internet FAX apparatus (e.g., host domain name “intfax.zzz.aa”) 1-15and e-mail server (e.g., host domain name “farmachine.xxx.yy”) 1-14connected to the Internet/intranet. In such communications, a DNS server1-4 having a function of converting the host domain name of thedestination into an IP address or vice versa is used.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the e-mailfacsimile apparatus of this embodiment.

In FIG. 6, a ROM (read-only memory) 6-2 stores a computer program(software for controlling the entire apparatus) to be executed by a CPU6-3. The CPU 6-3 controls the apparatus by executing a program stored inthe ROM 6-2 or a RAM 6-4.

The RAM (random-access memory) 6-4 stores various data required forcontrol and management data shown in FIG. 4, and an accumulation memory6-5 stores encoded data for facsimile communications, and e-mail data.The RAM 6-4 stores a program loaded from an external storage unit 6-16such as a floppy disk, CD-ROM, or the like by an IO controller (C) 6-15,and the loaded program is executed. Also, program loading onto the RAM6-4 may be done by downloading a program from an external apparatus viaa line I/F 6-6 or LAN I/F 6-14.

The line I/F 6-6 has a CCU (communication control unit), modem, NCU(network control unit), and the like for making communications via theISDN or PSTN line, and performs call origination onto the line andcommunications under the control of the CPU 6-3.

An IO controller (A) 6-7 controls recording by a printer 6-11, readingby a reader 6-12, and image data transfer under the control of the CPU6-3.

An IO controller (B) 6-8 controls a console 6-13 having a display andvarious keys under the control of the CPU 6-3, and transfers key inputinformation input at the console 6-13 and various kinds of informationto be displayed on the display. The console 6-13 also has a key foraccessing an e-mail server (e-mail server access key).

A pixel density converter 6-9 performs resolution conversion of imagedata, page size conversion, millimeter/inch conversion, and the like.

A compression/expansion unit 6-10 encodes (MH, MR, MMR, or the like)image data read by the reader 6-12, and decodes received encoded data.

The LAN I/F 6-14 is an interface for connecting to the LAN, and isconnected to the Internet via an equipment such as a remote router orthe like connected to the LAN.

In this embodiment, bitmap data used for converting e-mail data intoimage data and converting characters into bitmap data are stored in theROM 6-2 but may be loaded from the external storage unit 6-16 onto theRAM 6-4.

The arrangement of the e-mail facsimile apparatus has been described.

FIG. 4 shows the structure of management data required for facsimiletermination and e-mail transmission of the e-mail facsimile apparatus1-8 of this embodiment.

The management data are stored in the RAM 6-4, and are looked up by theCPU 6-3, which is executing the computer program in the ROM 6-2 or RAM6-4, which program is used for running e-mail reception andfacsimile/e-mail information conversion.

An own mail account 4-2 “mail_fax_machine@mail_srv.ccc.dd.ee” is thee-mail address assigned when the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8transmits/receives e-mails via the e-mail server 1-2. This account isused when the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 picks up e-mails addressedto the apparatus 108 from its postoffice.

In this account, “mail_fax_machine” corresponds to the postoffice name.

An own host name 4-3 “FaxMailMachine” is the host name used foridentifying the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 of this embodiment.

An e-mail server host name 4-4 “mail_srv” is the host name used when thee-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 of this embodiment accesses the e-mailserver 1-2.

A mode 4-5 is a software switch for selecting whether the connection tothe public telephone network is disconnected or facsimile reception isstarted when call reception time-out is detected, a CNG signal (a tonesignal for identifying a non-audio terminal) defined in ITU-T T.30recommendation is received, or an instruction such as e-mail transferdestination information coming from a remote facsimile terminal 1-11 isundecodable when the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 of this embodimentreceives an incoming call from the public telephone network 1-10. Themode 4-5 is set in advance by the user via the console 6-13.

The number 4-6 of e-mail destinations indicates the number of transferdestinations of e-mail transfer information of the e-mail facsimileapparatus 1-8 designated from the public telephone network 1-10. In thiscase, 10 destinations are set. Information for each destinations isstored in each of a destination sequence [1] 4-1, . . . , destinationsequence [i] 4-20, . . . , destination sequence [10] 4-40.

The i-th destination sequence [i] 4-20 will be explained below.

An e-mail destination 4-21 “fff@mail_srv.ccc.dd.ee” indicates the e-maildestination, i.e., a postoffice “fff” 7-2 (see FIG. 7) in the auxiliarystorage device in the e-mail server 1-2.

E-mail destination identification information 4-22 “3939” is datadesignated by a tone signal (or DTMF signal) coming from the remotefacsimile apparatus 1-11 or an SUB signal (subaddress signal)/SEP(selective polling signal) of the ITU-T T.30 recommendation.

Password information 4-23 “8280” is data designated by a tone signal (orDTMF signal) coming from the remote facsimile apparatus 1-11 or a PWDsignal (password signal) of the ITU-T T.30 recommendation.

A call reception date 4-24 indicates the latest date of facsimile imagedata received by the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 of this embodiment.

A source telephone number 4-25 stores the telephone number of the sourcenotified from the remote facsimile apparatus 1-11 by a TSI signal of thefacsimile protocol of the T.30 recommendation or a calling partytelephone number notifying service.

A processing result notification service 4-26 is telephone numberinformation registered in advance in the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8of this embodiment or notified by a tone signal (DTMF signal) designatedfrom the remote facsimile apparatus 1-11, i.e., the telephone numberinformation of the destination to which the e-mail facsimile apparatus108 transmits a communication result report of e-mail transmission ofthe received facsimile image data to a transfer destination as facsimileimage data.

A reception result 4-27 stores communication result information offacsimile reception.

The number 4-28 of received pages stores information of the number ofpages of facsimile-received image data (original).

Note that information in the destination sequence is appended to e-maildata as information of the facsimile reception history upon convertinginto e-mail data, as shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the call reception control executed bythe CPU 6-3 when the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 of this embodimentreceives an incoming call from the remote facsimile apparatus 1-11 viathe public telephone network, and a computer program for implementingthe control shown in this flow chart is stored in the ROM 6-2 or RAM6-4.

The CPU 6-3 monitors reception of an incoming call from the publictelephone network 1-10 via the line I/F 6-6 in step 2-2. Upon detectingan incoming call, in step 2-3 the CPU 6-3 controls the line I/F 6-6 tooutput, into the public telephone network, voice guidance 1 (e.g., anaudio message “Service for transferring a facsimile image to yourdesignated e-mail address is available. If you do not want to use thee-mail transfer service, please set originals and press the start key.If you want to use the e-mail transfer service, please tone-input #0followed by the 4-digit e-mail transfer destination identificationnumber, #1 followed by the 4-digit password number, and #2 followed bythe telephone number of the return address of the processing result. Ifyou already registered the return address of the processing result, youneed not input the telephone number of the return address of theprocessing result. Finally, please input #.” and so forth).

Subsequently, the CPU 6-3 checks in step 2-4 if a prescribed time haselapsed after voice guidance 1 was output, in step 2-5 if a CNG signalis received from the public telephone network, in step 2-6 if a DTMFsignal is received from the public telephone network, and in step 2-7 ifreception of the DTMF signal is complete.

If it is determined in step 2-4 that the prescribed time has elapsed,the flow advances to step 2-24 and the CPU 6-3 checks if the mode 4-5 inthe management data shown in FIG. 4 is set in a line disconnection modeor facsimile reception mode. If the mode 4-5 is set in the facsimilereception mode, the CPU 6-3 executes facsimile reception, and controlsthe printer 6-11 to record image data received by the facsimilereception in step 2-20. If the facsimile reception is complete or if itis determined in step 2-24 that the mode 4-5 is set in the linedisconnection mode, the CPU 603 controls the line I/F 6-6 to release theseized public telephone network in step 2-23.

If it is determined in step 2-5 that the CNG signal is received, the CPU6-3 advances from step 2-5 to step 2-24.

The CPU 6-3 stores data of the DTMF signal (tone signal) received instep 2-6 in the RAM 6-4, and if it is determined in step 2-7 that theDTMF signal indicating sole “#” has been received (completion ofreception of the DTMF signal), the flow advances to step 2-8 to decodethe data of the DTMF signal stored in the RAM 6-4.

The CPU 6-3 checks based on the decoding result of the DTMF signal datain step 2-9 if the DTMF signal data in the RAM 604 is decodable. If itis determined that the data is not decodable, the flow advances to step2-19 to control the line I/F 6-6 to output, onto the public telephonenetwork, voice guidance 2 (e.g., an audio message “Wrong tone signalsare input. Please re-input.” or the like). After that, the flow advancesto step 2-24.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 2-9 that the DTMF signaldata is decodable, the CPU 6-3 compares the e-mail transfer destinationinformation received as the DTMF signal data with each e-maildestination identification information in the 10 destination sequencesof the management data shown in FIG. 4 to check if they match each otherin step 2-10. If the received information does not match any of theregistered information, the CPU 6-3 controls the line I/F 6-6 to output,onto the public telephone network, voice guidance 3 (e.g., an audiomessage “Designated e-mail transfer destination is not registered.Please register.” or the like), in step 2-21. After that, the flowadvances to step 2-23. On the other hand, if the received informationmatches one of the registered information in step 2-10, the CPU 6-3advances to step 2-11. For example, assume the remote facsimileapparatus 1-11 designates “3939”, i.e., the destination sequence [i] isselected.

In step 2-11, the CPU 6-3 compares the password number received as theDTMF signal data with the password information in the designateddestination sequence of the management data to check if they coincidewith each other. If the password information does not match, the CPU 6-3controls the line I/F to output, onto the public telephone network,voice guidance 4 (e.g., an audio message “wrong password. Pleasere-input.” or the like) in step 2-22, and the flow then advances to step2-23. On the other hand, if the password information match in step 2-11,the CPU 6-3 advances to step 2-12. For example, the password information“8280” of the destination sequence [i] has been normally received.

In step 2-12, the CPU 6-3 controls the line I/F 6-6 to output, onto thepublic telephone network, voice guidance 5 (e.g., an audio message“Authentication is good. Facsimile reception is ready, and please setoriginals, press the start key, and go on-hook” or the like). In step2-13, the CPU 6-3 executes facsimile reception from the public telephonenetwork. The CPU 6-3 controls its internal timer means to store thecurrent time information in the call reception date 4-24 in themanagement data, extracts telephone number information of the remotefacsimile apparatus from a TSI signal (transmitting stationidentification signal) of the protocol signal of the T.30 recommendationreceived from the remote facsimile apparatus, and stores the extractedtelephone number information in the processing result notificationfacsimile destination 4-26 in the management data. For example, the CPU6-3 stores information “03-111-2222”. Also, the CPU 6-3 stores thereceived facsimile image information in the accumulation memory 6-5.Upon completion of the facsimile reception, the CPU 6-3 controls theline I/F 6-6 to release the seized public telephone network in step2-14.

In step 2-15, the CPU 6-3 converts the received facsimile image datastored in the accumulation memory 6-5 into the e-mail data format shownin FIG. 5. In this case, the CPU 6-3 generates a character string of thereception processing result information in accordance with thedestination sequence [i] in addition to the image data, and appends thegenerated information to the e-mail data. On the other hand, as for thefacsimile image data, binary data obtained by converting the receivedMMR (Modified Modified Huffman)-encoded image data into the image fileformat is converted into character string data called Base64, and theconverted data is inserted at the position of “facsimile image encodedby Base64” shown in FIG. 5.

In step 2-16, the CPU 6-3 converts the host name of the DNS server 1-4into an IP address on the basis of the e-mail server host name 4-4“mail_srv” of the management data shown in FIG. 4, and designates thee-mail address “fff@mail_srv.ccc.dd.ee” of the destination sequence [i]found in step 2-10 with respect to the e-mail server. Furthermore, theCPU 6-3 transfers (1-7 in FIG. 1) the e-mail data converted in step 2-15to the e-mail server in accordance with the e-mail transmission protocolSMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol recommended by IETF) shown in FIG.3.

In step 2-17, the CPU 6-3 generates a character string of resultinformation including the communication result of the e-mail transferexecuted in step 2-16, and converts the generated character stringinformation into facsimile image data as a communication result report.The CPU 6-3 then controls the line I/F 6-6 to automatically place a callto the facsimile apparatus designated by the information in theprocessing result notification facsimile destination 4-26 in themanagement data, thus facsimile-transmitting the converted facsimileimage data.

In the embodiment described above, the e-mail transfer destinationinformation and password information are received as the DTMF signaldata. Alternatively, the e-mail destination identification information(e-mail transfer destination information) shown in FIG. 4 may bereceived by a subaddress signal (SUB signal) or selective polling signal(SEP signal) as a protocol signal of the T.30 recommendation option, andthe password number may be received by a password signal (PWD signal) asa protocol signal of the T.30 recommendation option. In this case, theCPU 6-3 checks in the facsimile reception in step 2-20 if the SUB or SEPsignal, and PWD signal have been received. If the SUB or SEP signal, andPWD signal have been received, the CPU 6-3 executes the processing insteps 2-10 and 2-11 to check the e-mail transfer destination informationand password number. If the e-mail transfer destination information andpassword number match, the CPU stores the received facsimile image datain the accumulation memory 6-5, and the flow advances to step 2-14.

The protocol for sending an e-mail from the e-mail facsimile apparatus1-8 of this embodiment to the e-mail server or a communication apparatuswith an e-mail reception function via the network will be explainedbelow with reference to FIG. 3.

The protocol shown in FIG. 3 is the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol as ane-mail transfer protocol recommended by IETF.

The e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 starts a session with the e-mailserver 1-2 based on an SMTP port number via the TCP/IP (3-3). The e-mailserver 1-2 sends back a normal reply (3-4).

The e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 sends its own host name“FaxMailMachine” to the e-mail server 1-2 (3-5), which confirms that theapparatus 1-8 is the host that can receive a service, and sends back anormal reply to the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 (3-6).

Subsequently, the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 sends the senderaddress “fax_mail_machine@mail_srv.ccc.dd.ee” of the e-mail (3-7), andthe e-mail server 1-2 returns a normal reply to the e-mail facsimileapparatus 1-8 (3-8). The e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 sends the e-mailaddress “fff@mail_srv.ccc.dd.ee” (e-mail client 1-6), to which thereceived facsimile image data converted into e-mail data is to be sent,to the e-mail server 1-2 (3-9), and the e-mail server 1-2 returns anormal reply to the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 (3-10).

The e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 notifies the e-mail server 1-2 of thestart of transfer of e-mail data (3-11), and the e-mail server 1-2 sendsback a normal reply to the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 (3-12).

The e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 transfers e-mail data shown in FIG. 5to the e-mail server 1-2 (3-13), and notifies the e-mail server 1-2 ofthe end of transfer of the e-mail data (3-14). The e-mail server 1-2returns a normal reply to the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 (3-15). Thee-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 notifies the e-mail server 1-2 of the endof the SMTP session (3-16), and the e-mail server 1-2 returns a normalreply to the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 (3-17). Finally, the e-mailfacsimile apparatus 1-8 notifies the e-mail server 1-2 of release of thesession (3-18).

The processing for converting the facsimile image data received by thee-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 of this embodiment into e-mail data, thee-mail data format, and history information of facsimile reception to beadded to the e-mail data will be explained below with reference to FIG.5.

FIG. 5 shows the contents of a text file described in MIME(“Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions” as the e-mail data formatrecommended by IETF). The text file is divided into three sections by“-Boundary-” separator lines, so that the first section describes a mailheader, the second section describes the history information of thereception result of the received facsimile image data, and the thirdsection describes identification information of the file format, theBase encoding used for converting binary data into a character string,and the like, and character data obtained by converting binary data,which is obtained by converting three pages of received facsimile imagedata into a certain binary image file format, into a character stringaccording to Base64, to sandwich a blank line therebetween.

The management pattern of postoffices (mailboxes) in the e-mail serverto which the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 of this embodiment sendse-mail data will be described below with reference to FIG. 7.

FIG. 7 shows the directory structure in the auxiliary storage device ofthe e-mail server 1-2. The postoffices in the server are created assubdirectories underneath a directory “mail-dir” 7-1. A directory “fff”7-2 is a postoffice for the e-mail client 1-6. The e-mail data which hasbeen sent from the e-mail facsimile apparatus 1-8 of this embodiment tothat client is stored in the postoffice “fff” 7-2. For example, thee-mail shown in FIG. 5 is stored in this postoffice as, e.g., a file“mail_file03.mime” 7-4. The stored e-mail is downloaded from thedirectory “fff” 7-2 by the e-mail client 1-6 using the POP3 protocol.

According to the aforementioned embodiment, facsimile image datareceived not from a facsimile apparatus using the own mode but from afacsimile apparatus using a standard protocol complying with the popularITU-T T.30 recommendation can be transferred to the e-mail addressdesignated by the operator of that source facsimile apparatus. As aresult, the following effects are expected.

(1) Great Reduction of Network Building Cost

For example, upon building a system which allows data exchange betweenfacsimile data and e-mail data, when the e-mail facsimile apparatus ofthis embodiment is applied, a facsimile apparatus used so far can beused as a virtual Internet FAX apparatus, and all existing facsimileapparatuses need not be replaced by Internet FAX apparatus, thusbuilding the system with very low cost.

(2) Great Improvement of User Transfer Efficiency by UnifyingInformation

For example, since the user can post facsimile data addressed to himselfor herself as e-mails to his or her postoffice (or mailbox) via thee-mail facsimile apparatus of this embodiment, both the e-mails andfacsimile image data can be processed as e-mails. For this reason, theuser need not physically go to the facsimile apparatus to pick upreceived originals, and need not sort the received originals addressedto him or her. Hence, information can be unified, and the receivedoriginals are never lost.

In the above embodiment, the facsimile apparatus has been exemplified asa communication apparatus. Alternatively, the functions of theabove-mentioned e-mail facsimile apparatus may be implemented by apersonal computer with a modem that can communicate with the publictelephone network.

Note that the present invention may be applied to either a systemconstituted by a plurality of equipments (e.g., a host computer, aninterface device, a reader, a printer, and the like), or an apparatusconsisting of a single equipment (e.g., a copying machine, a facsimileapparatus, or the like).

The objects of the present invention are also achieved by supplying astorage medium, which records a program code of a software program thatcan realize the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments to thesystem or apparatus, and reading out and executing the program codestored in the storage medium by a computer (or a CPU or MPU) of thesystem or apparatus.

In this case, the program code itself read out from the storage mediumrealizes the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments, and thestorage medium which stores the program code constitutes the presentinvention.

As the storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, afloppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM,CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, and the like may beused.

The functions of the above-mentioned embodiments may be realized notonly by executing the readout program code by the computer but also bysome or all of actual processing operations executed by an OS (operatingsystem) running on the computer on the basis of an instruction of theprogram code.

Furthermore, the functions of the above-mentioned embodiments may berealized by some or all of actual processing operations executed by aCPU or the like arranged in a function extension board or a functionextension unit, which is inserted in or connected to the computer, afterthe program code read out from the storage medium is written in a memoryof the extension board or unit.

When the present invention is applied to the storage medium, the storagemedium stores program codes for executing processing corresponding tothe above-mentioned flow chart.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of the present inventioncan be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificembodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claims.

1. (canceled)
 2. A facsimile apparatus comprising: a receiver, thatreceives image data according to a facsimile procedure through atelephone network from a sender; a converter, that converts the imagedata received by said receiver into an image file, and converts theimage file and text data for explaining the image file into e-mail datain which the image file is one part and the text data is another partunder MIME format; and a transmitter, that transmits the e-mail dataobtained by said converter through a computer network.
 3. The apparatusaccording to claim 2, further comprising a recognition unit thatrecognizes a telephone number of the sender and a reception date of theimage data received by said receiver, wherein the text data forexplaining the image file indicates the telephone number and/or thereception date.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein saidtransmitter transmits the e-mail data to a destination specified byinformation received by said receiver.
 5. The apparatus according toclaim 4, further comprising: a printer that prints an image based on theimage data received by said receiver; and a controller that controlssuch that the image data received by said receiver is transmitted bysaid transmitter in a case where the information for specifying thedestination is received by said receiver, and the image based on theimage data received by said receiver is printed by said printer in acase where the information for specifying the destination is notreceived by said receiver.
 6. A method for a facsimile apparatuscomprising the steps of: receiving image data according to a facsimileprocedure through a telephone network from a sender; converting thereceived image data into an image file, and converting the image fileand text data for explaining the image file into e-mail data in whichthe image file is one part and the text data is another part under MIMEformat; and transmitting the e-mail data obtained by the converting stepthrough a computer network.
 7. A computer readable medium having acomputer program recorded thereon for a facsimile apparatus, thecomputer program comprising: program code means for receiving image dataaccording to a facsimile procedure through a telephone network from asender; program code means for converting the received image data intoan image file, and converting the image file and text data forexplaining the image file into e-mail data in which the image file isone part and the text data is another part under MIME format; andprogram code means for transmitting the e-mail data obtained by theconverting code means through a computer network.